Flight Safety Information
March 21, 2013 - No. 060
In This Issue
Helicopters collide near Berlin stadium
Airbus, American equip jet fleet to stop runway runoffs
New Study Examines Aircraft Fire Hazards From Lithium Batteries
FAA approves Boeing's certification plan for redesigned 787 batteries
Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Training At DFW Airport
US aviation agency to do own audit of PH (Philippines)
Pilots Urged to Fight 125.1 MHz Ban
CHC Annual Summit: Echoing HAI's Commitment to Aviation
PROS IOSA Audit Experts
Boeing lands deal to build 175 jets for Ryanair
Global airline profits will top $10 billion in 2013
India Liberalizes Aircraft-Import Rules
Female pilots-transport aircraft (South Korea)
Helicopters collide near Berlin stadium
BERLIN, GERMANY (AP) - MARCH 21: Police walk past the wreckage of two police helicopters that
collided near the Olympiastadion stadium, killing one pilot and leaving several injured, on March 21,
2013 in Berlin, Germany. The helicopters were partcipating in a police exercise meant to simulate
football hooligan clashes with police when the accident occured.
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Airbus, American equip jet fleet to stop runway runoffs
The technology will help pilots calculate landing and stopping distances.
WASHINGTON - American Airlines will equip its Airbus 320 fleet with equipment to reduce the risk of
planes sliding off runways, the companies announced Wednesday in an effort to reduce a leading
cause of airline accidents and fatalities in the last decade.
The cockpit technology, which Airbus developed over several years, was introduced in October 2009
on the A380 and is now in 70% of that fleet, according to the manufacturer. The technology, called
Runway Overrun Prevention System, will be included in the single-aisle A320 aircraft starting
Wednesday, the company announced.
"We are proud to equip our entire A320 family aircraft fleet with this state-of-the-art ROPS
technology," said Capt. John Hale, American's vice president for flight.
The equipment will calculate landing and stopping distances for the plane at a given airport,
comparing them to runway topography and condition, and produce alerts for the pilot if the situation
looks tight.
Yannick Malinge, chief safety officer at Airbus, says the selection of the equipment by American
underscores its value to the industry where "safety is the universal priority."
Runway excursions are accidents where a plane runs off the end of a landing strip or off to the side.
The International Air Transport Association found that runway excursions were "the most common
type of accident" worldwide last year, involving 28% of all accidents. In a previous study from 2004
through 2009, runway excursions were involved in 27% of accidents worldwide.
Another plane manufacturer, Boeing, said from 2002 to 2011, runway excursions in its global fleet
accounted for 15 of 79 fatal accidents, with 780 people killed.
A Boeing study found a variety of reasons for runway excursions, including tailwind, high touchdown
speed, contamination on the runway and reversers used too low or too late.
Boeing and fellow manufacturer Embraer jointly announced in December they would provide their
own set of tools, called Runway Situation Awareness Tools, to reduce runway excursions.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2013/03/20/airbus-runway-accidents/2003615/
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New Study Examines Aircraft Fire Hazards From Lithium Batteries
By ANDY PASZTOR
A prominent air-safety advocacy group has released a report highlighting fire hazards lithium-ion
batteries pose for airliners, and calling for stepped-up crew training to counter those potential
dangers.
Released earlier this week by Britain's Royal Aeronautical Society, the report emphasizes the
importance of raising awareness among ground personnel, pilots, cabin attendants and even
passengers that "lithium batteries pose a risk to flight operations."
The document doesn't deal with the specific battery issues affecting Boeing Co.'s BA
+0.01%grounded 787 jet. Rather, the study's focus is on smoke or fire events caused by overheating
lithium power packs carried as cargo, or installed in personal electronic devices used in cockpits or
cabins.
The society's conclusions and recommendations, among other things, emphasize the "cascading
effects" of some fires, which "can spread and affect numerous independent systems," ending in
potentially catastrophic events.
Boeing has said that over the years, batteries installed as part of commercial-aircraft electrical
systems have experienced thousands of failures resulting in many instances of fire or smoke.
Statistics cited by the Royal Aeronautical Society don't break out such events, or suggest that those
types of onboard batteries are experiencing smoke or fire problems that frequently.
But the 70-page report does indicate that by some historical measures, airlines around the world
may experience more than two "smoke events each day" from a variety of sources. Past industry
analyses revealed an average of roughly one "unscheduled or precautionary landing" by an airliner
per day world-wide, according to the latest report, with Boeing and Airbus aircraft affected roughly
equally.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323419104578373292916615324.html
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FAA approves Boeing's certification plan for redesigned 787 batteries
ATLANTA, March 20, 2013 - Airlines could soon return Boeing 787 aircraft to commercial service,
possibly within a matter of weeks, according to various published reports.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last week said it approved Boeing's certification plan for
the redesigned 787 battery system. The 787 aircraft have been grounded since January as Boeing
works to resolve an issue with the aircraft's batteries.
According to the FAA, battery system improvements will include "a redesign of the internal battery
components to minimize initiation of a short circuit within the battery, better insulation of the cells
and the addition of a new containment and venting system." Boeing will "conduct extensive testing
and analysis to demonstrate compliance with the applicable safety regulations and special
conditions," the FAA said in a announcement.
"As soon as our testing is complete and we obtain regulatory approvals, we will be positioned to help
our customers implement these changes and begin the process of getting their 787s back in the air,"
Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner said in a statement. "Passengers can be
assured that we have completed a thorough review of the battery system and made numerous
improvements that we believe will make it a safer, more reliable battery system."
According to a Reuters report, Boeing expects the 787 aircraft to be back in service in a matter of
weeks. United Airlines is the only domestic carrier that operates the 787. The Chicago-based airline
operates six of the aircraft.
"This comprehensive series of tests will show us whether the proposed battery improvements will
work as designed," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement. "We won't allow the
plane to return to service unless we're satisfied that the new design ensures the safety of the aircraft
and its passengers."
Despite the battery problems, company and government officials have said all along they believe the
plane is safe. Last month, as part of an ongoing investigation, federal authorities said Boeing could
conduct test flights of the 787 aircraft to gather additional data.
http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/sightseers-delight/2013/mar/20/faa-
approves-boeings-certification-plan-redesigned/
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Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Training At DFW Airport
DFW AIRPORT (CBSDFW.COM) - A new multi-million dollar expansion at Dallas/Fort Worth
International Airport means better training for airport firefighters around the world.
The $29 million renovation brings cutting edge technology to the Fire Training Research Center at
DFW Airport. Airport Fire Chief Brian McKinney said the facility hosts more than just North Texas
firefighters. "Since 1994 [we've had] over 16,000 firefighters, from 29 states, and 24 countries... in
a couple months we should have firefighters from Shanghai and Beijing."
Aircraft rescue firefighting training and research is a specialized field and requires different and
additional teaching. "Every certificated airport in the U.S. has to participate in this training,"
McKinney said.
Wednesday's demonstration and training included setting the body of a huge aircraft on fire. Flames
and black smoke shot high into the air, while heat from the blaze could be felt hundreds of feet
away.
After the plane was turned into an inferno, a training crew went to work. "Those are the firefighters
that will take a headline into the interior of the aircraft."
The yearlong renovation included adding a touch-screen interactive classroom, a new control center,
new burn pits and the only Airbus A380 mockup trainer in the country.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) paid for three fourths of the expansion costs.
http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/03/20/aircraft-rescue-firefighting-training-at-dfw-airport/
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US aviation agency to do own audit of PH (Philippines)
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has chosen to conduct its own audit on the Philippines,
ignoring the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) recent lifting of "significant safety
concerns" (SSC) on the country.
Transportation Undersecretary Catherine Gonzales on Wednesday disclosed that administration
officials were in discussions with the FAA on a possible audit later this year.
This comes after a recent ICAO audit that found the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP),
the local industry's chief regulator, in compliance with international safety norms.
"The audit will be for the lifting of our category 2 status," Gonzales told reporters. The country's
current category 2 status with the FAA prevents local airlines from starting flights to the United
States.
Those already operating in the US are also banned from expanding operations or even using different
aircraft than those already in use in 2007 when the country received its downgrade.
"We are very hopeful that we can pass," Gonzales said, citing again the country's recent success with
the ICAO audit. The ICAO audit was used by the European Aviation Safety Agency (Easa) to put the
country's airlines on a blacklist of carriers barred from mounting flights to the European Union (EU).
Local airlines were also banned from entering EU airspace. The DOTC expects the Easa to remove
local airlines from the blacklist following the ICAO audit.
The DOTC has also previously hoped that the FAA would also adopt the findings of the ICAO, which is
an agency attached to the United Nations. The FAA downgrade of the Philippines was handed down
two years before the EU ban.
The lifting of the EU and US bans will pave the way for the more aggressive expansion of local
airlines, particularly flag carrier Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific. Both have announced plans to
strengthen long-haul operations starting this year.
http://business.inquirer.net/113381/us-aviation-agency-to-do-own-audit-of-ph
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Pilots Urged to Fight 125.1 MHz Ban
AOPA is reminding pilots concerned about the Federal Communications Commissions plan to prohibit
the certification, manufacture, importation, sale, or use of 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters
(ELTs) to submit their comments to the FCC by April 1.
AOPA is reminding pilots concerned about the Federal Communications Commissions plan to prohibit
the certification, manufacture, importation, sale, or use of 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters
(ELTs) to submit their comments to the FCC by April 1.
AOPA strongly opposes the proposal, which in effect would force pilots to switch to 406 MHz ELTs,
thereby hindering, rather than improving, aviation safety.
Pilots and aircraft owners should explain in their comments how they use their aircraft, why they
prefer to use the 121.5 MHz ELT, and any other kinds of emergency locator devices, and how the
cost of switching to a 406 MHz ELT would affect their flying.
The FAA has estimated that replacing 121.5MHz ELTs with 406MHz ELTs would cost $1,000 to
$2,000, which adds up to increased costs across the industry of $300 million to $500 million. The
out-of-pocket expense would drain limited resources from maintenance, or prevent an aircraft owner
from investing in equipment that would have a direct benefit for safety.
The mandate might leave pilots unable or unwilling to purchase other devices such as emergency
position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs), of which an estimated 9,600 are now being carried by
pilots. Others use personal locator beacons, cell phones with GPS tracking, and commercial tracking
devices that provide the same or better tracking than 406 MHz ELTs. AOPA believes that aircraft
owner and pilots should be allowed to decide what technology works best in the particular cases of
their flight operations.
AOPA believes that a mandate to install 406 MHz ELTs would quickly become outdated, while freezing
GAs use of technology at 2013 levels.
AOPA opposes any mandate that relies on only one technology, and has pointed out that the plan
would soon be rendered moot by the FAAs mandate to equip aircraft with ADS-B Out by the year
2020. That technology will provide the aircrafts last known position and registration number to air
traffic control.
AOPA believes that the FAA should remain the sole authority for regulations affecting aviation, and
that the FCC should defer on issues of aviation safety rather than impose an unnecessary regulatory
burden.
Meanwhile, although satellites discontinued monitoring 121.5 MHz in February 2009, pilots and air
traffic controllers continue to guard the frequency, reaffirming that the 121.5 MHz ELT remains a
viable and affordable option for pilots.
Comments may be submitted online. Enter 01-289 in the Proceeding Number blank. In the
comments themselves, please identify WT Docket No. 01-289, FCC 13-2.
http://www.aviationpros.com/news/10897526/pilots-urged-to-fight-1251-mhz-ban
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CHC Annual Summit: Echoing HAI's Commitment to Aviation
The annual CHC Safety & Quality Summit is a gathering of safety professionals in Vancouver, BC,
Canada. The summit attracts hundreds of delegates from a wide variety of organizations from around
the globe, all coming together to focus on the human side of safety and to explore how to reduce
risk.
This year, HAI's safety officers J. Heffernan (in picture left) and Stan Rose (in picture right) attended
the summit to represent the association. They came away with many new ideas and concepts about
how to influence others to improve safety in helicopter operations.
This year's summit, held from March 18-20, was attended by more than 800 delegates, an indication
of the growing commitment from helicopter operators to the advancement of safety in our industry.
HAI would like to thank CHC for their dedication, and would also thank the staff members whose
tireless work makes this a world class event.
http://www.rotor.com/Publications/RotorNews/tabid/843/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/2166/CHC-
Annual-Summit-Echoing-HAIs-Commitment-to-Aviation-Safety.aspx
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Boeing lands deal to build 175 jets for Ryanair
DUBLIN (AP) - There's finally some good news for Boeing: The European discount airline Ryanair said
Tuesday that it will buy 175 of Boeing's popular 737 jets, the largest order ever placed by a
European carrier.
Chicago-based Boeing Co. has struggled since its new 787 Dreamliner was grounded in January
following electrical system problems. And it was dealt a blow Monday in the race to win the single-
aisle plane market when Indonesia's Lion Air signed a deal with rival Airbus for 234 of that
company's A320s.
Ryanair's chief executive, Michael O'Leary, said the deal with Boeing will allow his airline to expand in
markets such as Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, and Scandinavia. Neither side disclosed the purchase
price, but O'Leary said the airline negotiated a bulk discount off the total list price of $15.6 billion.
Ryanair got a 53 percent discount on a prior 737 order. This time, O'Leary said he was paying
''slightly higher'' prices.
He said Ryanair will cease buying back shares and paying dividends for two to three years to help
pay for the jets.
The deal was timed to coincide with Tuesday's visit by Prime Minister Enda Kenny of Ireland to
Washington, D.C., to meet President Obama and senior US legislators for St. Patrick's Day-related
events.
Kenny called the Ryanair deal a contract ''of extraordinary proportions'' and a sign of Ryanair's
success.
Ryanair already operates 305 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, each with 189 seats, one of the tightest
configurations in the industry. It is Boeing's biggest European customer for the model, which faces
global competition from the Airbus A320.
Boeing's primary 737 assembly line in Renton, Wash., faces a transition to building a newer model
called the 737 MAX by 2017. Ryanair's order represents about a half-year of full-time work for the
plant.
Ryanair has yet to sign on for the new MAX jet, but O'Leary said he has assembled a team to
evaluate the new version of the 737.
Ray Conner, the head of Boeing's commercial airplanes division, said this deal fills most of his 737
assembly line capacity until MAX production begins.
Ryanair expects to get the first new planes at the end of 2014. O'Leary said about 75 of the new-
order 737s would replace older airplanes, but the fleet would grow to 400 by 2019. He said Ryanair
expected its passenger volume to grow around 20 percent to 100 million passengers by 2019.
Ryanair is one of the world's wealthiest airlines, with more than $4 billion in cash. It offers Internet-
only sales of low-fare tickets - accompanied by a panoply of extra charges.
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Global airline profits will top $10 billion in 2013
The global airline industry sees a modest improvement in its financial outlook for 2013. (Michael
Probst, The Associated Press)Airlines will exceed last year's earnings by about 40 percent in 2013,
with net income likely to reach $10.6 billion, as sales growth outpaces higher fuel costs and improves
the outlook for the industry globally.
Carriers in the Asia-Pacific region are set to lead the gain with $4.2 billion in profit, followed by $3.6
billion for those in North America, the International Air Transport Association said in a statement
Wednesday. Even Europe and Africa, previously expected to only break even, stand to deliver $800
million and $100 million gains respectively, the group said.
Sluggish growth and fuel costs have weighed on earnings in recent years, forcing airlines such as Air
France-KLM, Europe's largest, to pursue cost cuts. Carriers have also sought closer international ties,
with Etihad Airways PJSC, the third-largest Gulf carrier, investing in operators such as Air Berlin PLC,
and Finnair Oyj joining a trans-Atlantic joint venture involving British Airways, Iberia and American
Airlines.
"Industry consolidation in domestic markets and joint ventures on long-haul routes have helped
improve efficiency," IATA director general Tony Tyler said in a call.
http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_22835624/global-airline-profits-will-top-10-billion-
2013#ixzz2OBSNl92G
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India Liberalizes Aircraft-Import Rules
NEW DELHI--India's existing airlines as well as private aircraft owners and flight training institutes no
longer need federal government approval to import planes, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said
Thursday.
The move will be a relief to airlines such as Jet Airways (India) Ltd., 532617.BY +0.70%SpiceJet Ltd.
500285.BY +0.33%and InterGlobe Aviation Ltd.'s budget carrier IndiGo which until now needed to
get their aircraft purchase plans cleared by a panel of bureaucrats from the aviation ministry and
also by the minister himself.
Aircraft from Jet Airways and Air India at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Sept. 8,
2012.
.
These companies will now need only get approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the
sector regulator, a government statement said.
New airlines and aircraft importers will require federal no-objection certificates for flights and initial
import approvals, it added.
"The decision is another major step toward liberalization in the civil-aviation sector after allowing
49% foreign-direct investment in airlines," the statement said. It will "remove duplication [of
procedures] and also reduce delays in seeking approval and will do away with the cumbersome
procedure which airlines have to follow before acquisition of aircraft," it added.
The Indian government last September permitted foreign carriers to buy stakes of up to 49% in local
airlines. Before that only foreign investors, and not airlines, were permitted to invest in Indian
carriers.
The requirement for airlines to seek the ministry's permission to add new planes was part of a
strategy to regulate aircraft imports to prevent addition of excessive seat capacity by bigger airlines
and also to hold off any fare wars which could hurt smaller airlines more.
In addition to cutthroat competition, airlines in India have been hurt by high operational and finance
costs and, lately, a drop in passenger traffic. Several of India's carriers are loss-making, although the
biggest low-fare carrier, IndiGo, is profitable. SpiceJet Ltd. and Jet Airways swung to a net profit in
the quarter ended Dec. 31.
The airlines had argued for letting them import as many planes as they required so that they could
plan on expanding their capacities in advance and boost air connectivity in the country.
The ministry had approved imports of 97 planes--including 33 by Jet Airways, 15 by SpiceJet and 35
by IndiGo--by airlines and other aircraft operators since December 2011, the statement said.
Also, flight training institutes have been given permission to import eight planes, while acquisition of
five aircraft for private use has also been approved, it said.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324103504578374100123496458.html
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Female pilots-transport aircraft (South Korea)
GIMHAE, South Korea, March 20 (Yonhap) -- A crew of two women on Wednesday flew a C-130
cargo aircraft together for the first time in their careers, cracking the glass ceiling in the male-
dominated Air Force.
Capt. Lee Na-kyum and Capt. Oh Hyun-jin of the fifth tactical airlift wing based in Gimhae, 449
kilometers southeast of Seoul, successfully completed their flight mission, marking the first time an
all-female crew has flown the military aircraft since female cadets were accepted into the academy in
1997.
Lee, 31, had flown the C-130 in March 2011 to carry humanitarian aid to Japan when it was hit by
massive earthquake and tsunami despite risk of radiation contamination.
"It was the happiest moment of my life when I was first selected as the first female pilot for the C-
130," said Lee, who has a flight record of 1,486 hours. "I am doing my best to become a good
example to junior female pilots."
Oh, a 27-year-old bride-to-be, said she feels "grave responsibility" as the first to fly the military
aircraft.
The C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft built by Lockheed Martin.
The aircraft is now the main tactical airlifter for the South Korean Air Force for training, medical
evacuation and cargo transport missions.
It measures 40.4 meters wide and 29.8 meters long, and accommodates up to 128 crew members.
All-female crews could be deployed in combat, search and rescue, medical evacuation and overseas
missions in the future after they complete the necessary training, military officials said.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/yonhap-news-agency/130319/female-pilots-transport-
aircraft
Curt Lewis